WILSON — Sewer rates are going up in Wilson. At the Sept. 16 meeting of the Wilson City Council, Ordinance 852 was approved, raising the rates effective with the Nov. 10 billing.

The flat rate will increase from $15 to $24 per month, which is the state average, with major users seeing an increase from $4 per 1,000 gallons used to $5 per 1,000 gallons used. The increase will bring an additional $44,064 into the city’s coffers. The funds will be used to pay for expenses associated with the city’s wastewater. Council member Lori Taylor said a third cell must be installed at the city’s sewer lagoon to make it a holding system instead of a release system. The city must raise rates to the state average to get funding.

In other business:

• Approval was given to a resolution and agreement for the Moderate Income Rental Housing development fund application. Local business owner Melinda Merrill, Justin Joiner, president of Joiner Construction, and J.R. Robl, director of development for Hutton, said the housing project is similar to the one being constructed in Ellsworth near Ellsworth County Medical Center.

Two or three townhomes are planned for Wilson. They will be three-bedroom, two- bath and two-bedroom, one-bath homes with a safe room and two-car garages. The total amount of the project is unknown because land has yet to be purchased. The MIH funds are being requested from the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation to serve as gap financing for construction. The funding will allow rental rates to be kept within the moderate income ranges.

According to a proposed timetable, an application will be submitted to the KHRC Sept. 30, with funding awards announced Dec. 1. If successful, the acquisition of proposed property for development would begin in February 2020, with ground breaking in May. The townhomes would be complete in November.

No funds are being requested from the city; however, if awarded, the funds would pass through the city. Merrill would own the homes. Robl said six lots in the newly developed Prairie Estates cul-de-sac area of Wilson would be considered for the project among other properties in Wilson.

• Mike Peschka of the Wilson Economic Development Corporation, briefly explained two ideas for the city to handle blighted properties. The first is a land bank. Under a land bank, the city could purchase properties and put them in the land bank to be developed for future use. Peschka said there are six properties in Wilson listed to be sold in the Oct. 15 county tax sale. These properties, for example, could be purchased by the city and placed in a land bank for future development. He noted the closest land bank is in Lyons.

Peschka also discussed a vacant building registration ordinance. He said this ordinance would provide property owners of vacant buildings with the motivation to do something with those properties. He noted Russell has such an ordinance.

• No action was taken after a five minute executive session with Wilson Police Chief Josh Tipton and city attorney Theresa Staudinger to discuss security and safety.

• City superintendent Marty Prester said the city crew has been mowing and has had help getting the city cemetery in shape.

• Peschka was hired as a part-time mower at the city cemetery at $10 per hour.

• Jeremy Hlad was approved as a new member of the City’s Board of Health.